The preservation and promotion of traditional handicrafts of ethnic minority communities in Hoa Binh province plays a crucial role, as it not only creates jobs and increases income for locals, but also helps preserve ethnic cultural heritage.

Chieng Chau brocade weaving and tourism service
cooperative, Chieng Chau Commune (Mai Chau), creates jobs for ethnic minority
women.
To revive the traditional weaving craft of the Thai ethnic
group in Mai Chau district, with the support and collaboration of the Japan
International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the Chieng Chau brocade weaving and
tourism service cooperative was established in 2009. Since then, the
cooperative has engaged in many creative and practical activities to preserve
and develop the traditional weaving craft of the Thai people.
Vi Thi Oanh, deputy director of the cooperative, said that
in recent years, cooperative members and local weaving households have
continuously explored, innovated, and improved designs to enhance product
quality, meet market demands, and cater to tourists. Its products have reached
various regions across the country and even attracted orders from abroad. The
cooperative has also contributed to improving livelihoods for dozens of ethnic
minority women in the locality, providing them with stable incomes.
Currently, Hoa Binh has 11 craft villages recognised by the
provincial People's Committee. Local authorities are focusing on reorganising
these trade villages in accordance with legal regulations on planning, land
use, and construction so as to ensure sufficient space for production, preserve
the landscape, and integrate environmental protection with rural development.
Efforts are also being made to build criteria, and assess and classify the
activities of these craft villages in alignment with sustainable development
goals, while building and digitising a database system, and developing craft
villages that produce products with high economic values, high cultural content
and significant export potential.
Through various measures, craft villages in the province
have gradually been revived and developed, contributing to the preservation and
promotion of the unique cultural values of local communities. Notable crafts
include beekeeping, traditional weaving, bamboo and rattan weaving, stone and
driftwood carving, ethnic cuisine, and processing of agricultural, forestry,
and aquatic products. To date, the province has five craft villages with
recognised OCOP (One Commune One Product) products and two with registered
trademarks. Trade villages are offering jobs for 1,300 people, with an average
income of 3-5 million VND (120-200 USD) per person per month.
Gongs hold a special place in the cultural and spiritual life of the Muong ethnic people in Hoa Binh province. More than musical instruments, they are an indispensable part of community rituals and collective memory, echoing through generations as a spiritual thread linking the past, present, and future.
Preserving and promoting the cultural values of the Muong ethnic group has become an urgent task in the current context, as many traditional values face the risk of fading away. This effort requires not only protecting the cultural identity but also eliminating outdated customs and developing a modern cultural lifestyle, contributing to sustainable values for the Muong community in Hoa Binh province.
The Muong ethnic culture, deeply rooted in Vietnam’s mountainous north, continues to be preserved and revitalised by dedicated individuals and communities determined to safeguard their ancestral identity.
The Muong group is one of the largest ethnic minorities in Vietnam, primarily found in Hoa Binh province. The Muong people in Hoa Binh boast a rich and diverse cultural treasure that reflects the unique identity of this ethnic group. Accounting for over 63% of the province's population, they have created and preserved numerous distinctive cultural values, contributing to their unique identity. Their cultural heritage is an invaluable asset, at the heart of their national identity, and represents a vibrant spiritual life that must be preserved and promoted in today’s modern world.
For generations, the ethnic communities of Hoa Binh province, particularly the Muong people, have preserved vibrant festivals deeply intertwined with the region’s geography, nature, and social traditions. These celebrations enrich Hoa Binh’s spiritual life and cultural identity, reflecting both folk beliefs and the intermingling of ethnic customs. Many of these festivals have endured the test of time, passed down through generations and continuing to thrive today. Among them, the Khai Ha (Going Down to the Field) festival stands out as one of the most significant events of the Muong ethnic group.
Muong calendar, known as sach doi, is an ancient folk knowledge system developed through observations of the movement of the pleiades star. This unique calendar consists of 12 bamboo sticks, each representing a lunar month. Specific days within each month are marked with distinct symbols, guiding locals in determining auspicious and inauspicious days for important activities.